On the first Saturday of January it was Driffield who arrived at The Avenue for the first fixture of the Premiership Conference A, the top six sides from the Premiership playing each other home and away in the second half of the season.
The Foresters started brightly up the slope and into the breeze, putting pressure on the visitors to concede some cheap penalties. This resulted in a kick to the corner and a driven 5 yard line out try scored by hooker Madison Hunting and well converted by fly half Rory MacNab. 7-0.
After another five minutes a carbon copy of the first try was scored this time from 15 yards. The conversion was slightly off target. 12-0. Following the kick off it was the Foresters’ turn to concede some cheap penalties and Driffield duly converted a penalty attempt. 12-3.
Following a period of stalemate Wharfedale broke upfield and recycled down the blindside and some sharp handling by MacNab and Hunting released winger Owen Bullock who crossed the whitewash from a good 30 yards out, converted by MacNab. 19-3.
That was how the first half ended after some great endeavor from the Foresters but with little reward.
HT: – Foresters 19-3 Driffield.
Two simple scores from the Foresters started the second half off both from good scrum ball. The first beneficiary was Sam Mason who crashed over from 2 yards after good hands and decoy running down the blindside, converted again by MacNab. 26-3. The second was scored by centre Josh Prell who carried hard from 20 yards and crossed under the sticks, easily converted by MacNab. 33-3.
The substitutes were introduced and this broke the scoring for a while until winger Ralph Wellock, now operating from the full back position, broke blind and with a nice chip and chase managed to regather and feed Bradley Viner to score wide on the right, converted by MacNab. 40-3.
The Foresters were now in their stride and good work to create a half break by Prell created the opportunity for Bullock to race to the right hand touchline and cross from 40 yards, well converted by MacNab. 47-3. The scoring was completed by captain Tom Whyte down the left hand touchline. This time well converted by Max Bell from wideout. 54-3.
All players contributed to the cause in a good display and are now looking ahead to the Scunthorpe double header this Saturday at The Avenue.
Foresters: –
1. Ben Patchett, 2. Madison Hunting, 3. Jack Hirst, 4. Sam Booker, 5. Elliot Stockton, 6. Jake Parkinson, 7. Oli Snowdon, 8. Tom Whyte (c), 9. Archie Hancock, 10. Rory MacNab, 11. Owen Bullock, 12. Max Bell, 13. Josh Prell, 14. Ralph Wellock, 15. Sam Mason.
Replacements: –
16. George Altham, 17. Tom Jackson, 18. Joe Metcalfe, 19. Max Mountain, 20. Bradley Viner.